Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Sept 28: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today hailed Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for going ahead with the scheduled meeting with his Pakistani counterpart despite a fresh attempt to scuttle the process and hoped that the meeting will be fruitful.
Chief Minister while addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for a flyover connecting Jehangir Chowk and Rambagh here in Srinagar today praised Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh that despite pressure on him, he went ahead to talk to his counterpart at New York defeating the designs of peace inimical and anti-dialogue elements who always conspire and attempt to disrupt talks when the occasions of talks are created.
“We have been saying that the gun is no solution to the issues. These are political issues and need to be resolved politically, you can’t achieve the results through the barrel of the gun. There is no other option but talks,” Omar said.
He said that animosity between India and Pakistan has inflicted deep injuries and pain to the people of the State. “Thousands of our youth have lost their lives, Jhelum waters were blooded, every household bore the brunt of the gun, our economy got shattered and people became jobless. Now, if the people of Jammu and Kashmir cherish or friendship between India and Pakistan to live in peace and safeguard the future of our children, we are absolutely right”, he said.
Without naming BJP, which was opposing the meeting between the two PMs in the backdrop of twin attacks in Jammu, Omar said that the Prime Minister of the BJP extended hand of friendship to General Musharraf from Srinagar when scores of people were falling victim to the bullets in the Valley.
Chief Minister said that everyone globally believes and recognizes that the dialogue is the only way forward to find out solution to the issues, and all the people should contribute positively to facilitate the dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve all political issues amicably.
Omar said that issues between the two countries cannot be solved in a single meeting but talking to each other would help to create a roadmap of carrying forward the meaningful dialogue to a logical conclusion.
“Today, our eyes are set on a small hotel room, 10,000 kilometres away, where we hope friendship will flourish between the two neighbours… We hope we are not let down this time,” said the Chief Minister.
Omar said various attempts were made at derailing the dialogue process between the two countries and the recent attacks in Hiranagar and Samba were aimed at disrupting Manmohan Singh-Nawaz meet in New York.
“Attempts were made to stop the talks, be it on the political front or by other means. What was the aim behind the unfortunate attacks on Thursday in Jammu in which 10 precious lives were lost? We have seen in the past that when such attacks took place, the process of talks stopped. Forces who do not want India and Pakistan to talk tried to use this attack to stop the process of talks even before it started”, Chief Minister said.
Omar while speaking to media on the sidelines of the function said that whatever Rahul Gandhi said on Ordinance to protect convicted lawmakers, is an internal matter of the Congress. He further stated that as far as UPA is concerned, a UPA coordination committee meeting should be called to discuss the matter.
It may be mentioned here that Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi yesterday denounced the controversial ordinance to negate the Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers as “complete nonsense” and said it should be torn up and thrown away.
Hitting out at People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Omar said the opposition party had “totally neglected” Srinagar when it was in power.
“Some people are shedding crocodile tears for Srinagar and there is no dearth of such people. As (2014 Assembly) elections come nearer, you will see such leaders who will shed crocodile tears for Srinagar saying we are the well wishers of Srinagar, want to increase the importance of the city and want to bring the city not only on the map of the country but the world.
“I have only one question for those people. If you really have love for Srinagar, then answer me that when you were in power, why had you started a scheme of moving the Government offices from Srinagar to Parihaspora?,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister said PDP did not do justice to the city when the party had an opportunity while it was in power from 2002 to 2008 in coalition with Congress.
“You (PDP) did not approve any developmental schemes for Srinagar, did not macadamize any road in the city, but that was okay. However, how could we accept relocating the civil secretariat, assembly and high court from Srinagar, which is a capital city of the State, to Parihaspora.
“When you had the opportunity to do justice with the city, you did nothing and the result of which was that National Conference bagged all eight seats from the city in the assembly elections in 2008. And since then, the Coalition Government is committed to make Srinagar a model city and an economic hub,” he said.
Omar listed the development projects launched by his Government in Srinagar during last four and a half years to give fillip to the development and economic activities.
Omar said he had approved the Srinagar flyover some two years ago, but did not lay its foundation till today for the fact that he wanted to rehabilitate the shopkeepers and others getting affected by the project.
“I have given clear cut instructions to the Economic Reconstruction Agency and Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation to first rehabilitate the shopkeepers and then move forward on the construction of the flyover project,” he said.
The Rs 351 crore flyover will connect Jehangir Chowk with Rambagh here and is expected to be completed in three years.
Omar earlier laid foundation of Rs 31 crore parking lot in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk here.
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